The wrong time
by stevieLUVSAlex
Summary: Alex is grieving the death of Harry when he kisses Stevie. She thinks he'll regret it later. What happens when Alex comes to a revelation when Fiona is walking down the aisle? Is it too late?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This one goes out to KEPC, I hope this makes you feel a little better. Amongst my busy schedule I managed to make time for you. LOL!**

**This is set in season six when Harry dies and Alex goes and helps Stevie in the paddock.**

Stevie rubs Alex's arm as she tries to think of the right thing to say.

It was no secret that she and Harry hated each other, but she would never wish him dead, not if it meant that Alex's heart was broken. She would have moved heaven and earth if she could take that pain away from him. It was harder watching him grieve than it was if the pain was in her own heart.

"Alex…"

He lifted his gaze and their eyes locked. There was something there that Stevie hadn't seen since the eve before Tess and Nick's wedding, when they were stranded on the side of the road. There was a look of desire and lust or was it something far deeper?

Before either one of them realized the consequences of their actions, Alex reached out his hand and touched her chin. Stevie drew in a breath, holding it in anticipation for Alex's next move. She wanted him to kiss her. God, she wanted him to kiss her so badly.

And when he did, it was like she was woken from a deep slumber and was alive for the first time in years, maybe ever.

She was not in control of her hands as they slipped around his neck. His hands settled on her waist and pulled her onto his lap as the kissing stayed in motion. Alex tasted like mint. Her favourite kind. She could feel the urgency in his kiss.

_I'm kissing Alex Ryan_, she thought hazily. _I'm kissing Alex and he's engaged_.

It took all the strength she had to push at his chest until they broke apart.

"Stevie…"

"I'm sorry, Alex. That shouldn't have happened." She pulled herself off his lap and brushed the dirt from her jeans. Her eyes remained fixed on the ground.

"Why?" he asked bluntly, his gaze not moving from hers as he remained sitting in the dirt.

"Because you're not thinkin' straight. Your father just died, Alex and you're engaged this isn't the time for this."

"So when is the time?"

"Alex, I…" she shook her head. He was going to hate her for it later. His head was a mess. This wasn't the time for all this. "Maybe-" Stevie was cut off by the beeping of the phone.

Grateful for the distraction, Stevie lunged for the phone and answered it. It was Fiona.

_Damn. _

Stevie handed the phone to Alex. "It's Fiona."

Alex blinked at her and shook his head. He didn't want to talk to her.

Stevie took a deep breath and placed the phone to her ear. "I'm sorry Fiona, he doesn't want to talk. Just give him a bit of time and I'll send him home."

"Is he at Drovers?"

"No. No, he- we're in the paddock."

"Can you just give him the phone?"

Stevie tried to keep the irritation from her voice. Man, that woman was annoying. Couldn't she take a hint. "Look, I'll talk to him and send him home. I've gotta go." She hung up the phone and returned it to Alex's jacket that was shoved over his Ducati.

"She hovers," Alex stated. "I hate it."

"She's just worried, Alex. We're all worried."

Alex shook his head. "I'm not used to it, you know. Having someone who doesn't like being on her own. I'm usually surrounded by independent women. I just- I'm not sure she's the woman I want to spend my life with."

Stevie's heart began hammering in her chest. Could there still be hope for them?

"You're grieving, Alex. It's not something you should be thinking about at the moment. You-"

"I know what I want," he stated. "And it's not her."

She was left speechless.

"Stevie?"

She forced herself to look at him. He pulled himself off the ground and took a single step forward, closing the gap between them. "Alex…" she was weak with desire, weak with longing. She didn't want him to do or say anything that he would regret later. She couldn't stand that, and so she stepped back trying to be the reasonable one, because at the moment he couldn't be. "I think you should go home."

He looked like he'd been slapped. "Right," he said coolly.

He turned to leave.

"Alex, I just…"

"I get it," he snapped.

Did he?

Instead of pulling him back and telling him that she loved him more than anything, she let him walk away, because she just couldn't have her heart broken again. She wouldn't survive it a second time. Not with Alex.

**A/N: Hi… feel free to leave a review. They're so pretty **

**Would you like another chapter?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This chapter is a little different. It's taken from Stevie's. This is for everyone that wanted more of the story **

The wedding is today. I couldn't have been in a worse mood. I know that at the time I was trying to do the right thing but now I'm not so sure. Maybe I should have told Alex the truth when he kissed me in the paddock. He wasn't talking to me now. He hated me. I knew he did. I wasn't even sure I blamed him. I had my chance, more than once and I didn't take it because I was scared.

Now I'm scared and _alone_.

I hate Fiona. God, I hate her. I wish she'd never come here. I wish she never existed.

I think I'm going to leave Drover's Run. Leave the land. I don't think I could handle seeing Alex and Fiona married and me looking in on the sidelines wondering how it all went wrong. I'm not a wallower. If I don't want to be around something, I move on. I was always a traveller. A gypsy. It was this place that changed me. Maybe it's time to change back.

If you don't stay in one place, you don't get attached. I'm stronger than this.

"Stevie," Kate calls from behind me.

I snap my head around and look at her.

"You have to get dressed," she urged.

I wasn't going. I already decided that it would be too hard. If I had to see that smirk on her face or that hate in his eyes. It was easy for everyone if I just stayed away.

"I'm not going," I announce.

Kate's mouth opens wide enough to catch flies. "What? But he's your best friend."

"Kate, Taylor needs help in the kitchen." Regan says, coming out of nowhere.

Kate shrugs and disappears inside, leaving me and Regan on the porch.

"Are you sure about this?" she asks me.

"Positive."

Regan understands. She gets it. Even though I haven't told anyone what happened, she seems to know and I need someone to get it. I need someone to share the burden with me even if they don't know exactly what it is.

I watch them all leave half an hour later, and I sit on the bench outside on the porch.

**A/N: I know this is super short and so I'll post the last chapter as well. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This chap is taken from Alex's POV. **

I search her face in the crowd. I have the know if she feels the same way I do. I know that I was grieving for Harry when we kissed but it wasn't a mistake, if I knew anything it was that. I see the Drover's car pull up and all the girls get out dressed in their Sunday best… everyone but Stevie.

God, where is she?

I catch Regan's eye and frown. But she shakes her head, telling me with that one gesture that Stevie isn't coming. I don't know what to do. My future is riding on this. I was going to look at Stevie. I was going to know by the look on her face if she loved me or not. I was going to ask her. How could I do that if she wasn't here?

I feel sick to my stomach, and not the good kind. This was supposed to be the best day of my life and all I could think of was another woman. A woman who I've been in love with since Claire's death, maybe even years before when we first met. I don't know how long for sure, I just know that I love her. She makes me feel like I'm worth something. I want to be better when I'm around her and she makes things easy for me. I don't have to try so hard when she's around. It's easy.

I take one look at the bride who comes walking up the isle to music I don't hear. I know what I have to do. I walk down the aisle to meet her halfway and I take her hand in mine.

"Alex, you're supposed to wait until I get to you," she laughed.

I was about to break her heart. How could I have possibly thought that I could know someone in such a short amount of time. Days? What was I thinking?

"I can't do this," I tell her. "I can't marry you."

I hear a gasp sound out through the audience.

Fiona's smile fades and instead of hurt, she just looks angry. "_What_?" she spits.

"I can't marry you, Fi. I don't think we had enough time. I just- you don't belong on a farm. I was wrong to bring you here."

"I belong with you."

I shake my head. "No. I belong with Stevie."

I feel the sting of her slap and I clench my jaw. I know I deserved it but still, if she was a bloke I would have hit her back.

"Don't do this to me. You _will_ marry me."

"No," I decline. "I won't. I'm sorry. I have to go." I turn and leave. I don't bother saying anything to anyone. If they know me, then they know I must be doing the right thing. I don't know why it took me so long to see it but thank God I came to my senses before it was too late. I run to the Ute and I kick up stones as I drive the car out of the parking space and head towards Drover's Run.

When I get there, it's all quiet. I get out of the car and walk around the side of the house. I see Stevie on the porch, looking out into the sky. I wonder what she's thinking.

She looks up and is startled when she sees me.

"Alex." No one says my name like she does.

I sigh with relief. I'm doing the right thing. This is where I belong.

"Why aren't you getting married?" she asks. She looks hopeful.

"I was about to marry the wrong woman."

"Alex…"

"Stevie, I love you. I know you think it's all because of Harry and what happened to him. I'm grieving but that's not why I'm here. It's not why I kissed you. It's not why I stopped my wedding and told Fiona that I belong with you."

Stevie's eyes filled with tears and I felt the need to console her. I hate it when she's sad. It just about kills me to see tears in her eyes. I approach her and slipped my arms around her waist. It feels right and I have no intention of ever letting her go again. No matter how much she argues. And she will. She always does.

"What if you change your mind?" she questions.

I told you. Argues.

"I won't. Will you stop loving me?" I ask.

She blushes. "Did I tell you I loved you?"

"Every time you look at me," I say confidently.

"Really?" she laughed. God, I love that laugh. I love everything about her.

"God, woman, how long do I have to wait for you to kiss me."

Stevie shakes her head and slips her arms around my neck. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. "It's the man's job to make the first move."

"I'm here aren't I?" I challenge. "This is my move. Now it's your turn."

"Okay," she nods. She leans in and presses her lips to mine. She tastes like strawberry lip gloss. God, she's so perfect. I wrap my arms tighter around her and lift her off the ground as I allow my own tongue to dance with hers.

I am going to marry this woman. I'm going to ask her when I have the strength to stop kissing her.

**A/N: I hope that has satisfied my readers, thanks for the encouragement everyone. **


End file.
